Monday, June 15, 2009

Sue Scheff: Help Stop The Choking Game

WHAT IS THE CHOKING GAME?

It’s not a game at all—just an act of suffocating on purpose.

Adolescents cut off the flow of blood to the brain, in exchange for a few seconds of feeling lightheaded. Some strangle themselves with a belt, a rope or their bare hands; others push on their chest or hyperventilate.

When they release the pressure, blood that was blocked up floods the brain all at once. This sets off a warm and fuzzy feeling, which is just the brain dying, thousands of cells at a time.

Help GASP stop the Choking Game before it hits close to home

The Choking Game is a misunderstood activity causing death and suffering for thousands of families worldwide. It often begins with high-achieving teens choking each other as a way to get high without the risk of getting caught with drugs or alcohol. It ends with thousands of kids dying or suffering permanent brain damage each year.

Set up by families of Choking Game victims, GASP is a global nonprofit campaign that fights this “game” with the most powerful weapon at our disposal: education. Most people have no idea how dangerous the Choking Game is until it hits close to home—but we can prevent suffering by publicizing the danger in our schools and homes.

Together, we can stamp out this deadly game in your community.

Learn more: http://www.stop-the-choking-game.com/

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